Improvement in car-couplings



T. D. BALDWIN.

CAR-COUPLING. 7

No. 193A71. Patented July 24,1877.

UNITED STATES ATENT ()FFIGE.

THEURSA D. BALDWIN, OF ALBION, MICHIGAN.

IMPROVEMENT IN CAR-COUPLINGS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 193,471, dated July 24, 1877; application filed June 21, 1877.

I To all whom it may concern:

Be it known thatI. THEURSA D. BALDWIN,

of Albion, in the county of Ualhoun and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Oar-Couplings; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification, and in which- Figure l is a side view of my improved carcoupling. Fig. 2 is a plan View of the same, and Fig. 3 is a detached sectional view thereof.

Corresponding parts in the several figures are denoted by like letters.

This invention relates to a certain improvement in car-couplings and it consists, mainly, in providing the draw-heads with lateral slots or recesses, which receive rings, substantially as hereinafter more fully set forth.

In the annexed drawing, A A refer to the abutting draw-heads of two cars, which are provided in their sides with vertical slots or recesses B B to receive rings or links 0 O, by which it will be seen that the draw-heads are coupled together. These rings are, preferably, made in an oblong shape to adapt them to cars with their draw-heads varying in height. In the event one or both of the links or rings break, the same can be readily replaced with a new one.

Hinged or pivoted to the draw-heads A A, and to one side of the slots or recesses B B, are gates D D, for confining the links or rings 0 O in the said recesses or slots, and permitting of their ready removal. The gates D D are provided with handles d d for opening and closing the same. The gates D D are beveled upon their lower external edges, as seen at (1' d Figs. 1 and 3, to cause them to fit upon and in between beveled flanges d of the drawheads, (particularly seen in the latter-mentioned figure,) to retain the gates themselves in position when closed.

This construction will enable the cars to be coupled without having to reach in between the draw-heads and risk the crushing of the hand. In addition to avoiding this danger, the cars can be quickly and readily coupled, it only being necessary to thrust the rings or links into the slots or recesses in the drawhead after having elevated or opened the gates, a slight movement causing the gates to fall and close the rings or links in position. This couplingis also exceedingly simple, cheap, and easy to be constructed-the great desiderata aimed at in all inventions.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s-

1. In a car-coupling, the draw-heads A A, having slots or recesses B B, in combination with the gates D Dand ring or link (J, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In a car-coupling, the draw-heads A A, having beveled flanges d d and slots or recesses B B, in combination with the ring or link 0 and beveled gates D at, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I hereunto affix my signaturein presence of two witnesses.

THEURSA D. BALD WIN.

Witnesses:

NELSON B. GARDNER, JAIRUS J. HOWELL. 

